Sustainable Farming at Sea
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Sustainable farming at sea To secure food, feed, green chemistry and energy Wageningen, 26 January 2016 Willem A. Brandenburg We are not aware using seaweeds everyday! Seaweeds are algae Algae: a heterogeneous group Archaebacteria Eubacteria Blue algae “Algae” Green algae Brown algae Red algae Eukaryotes 2000 spp. 1200 spp. 6000 spp. Seaweeds in the North Sea Dulse Palmaria palmata (red seaweed) Laminaria digitata (brown seaweed) All these seaweeds have economic potential. We now have to recognise the for domestication relevant characters in other Sea Lettuce Wakame Seaweeds. Ulva lactuca Undaria pinnatifida (green seaweed) (brown seaweed) Seaweed biology No energy loss: seaweeds are hardly differentiating Total biomass can be harvested Total variation of photosynthesis systems; light extincts fastly in the water column, but some seaweeds are still growing 100m below sea surface (clear water) Production possible throughout the year Brown seaweeds such as Saccharina and Laminaria spp. grow during winter season Marine ecological literature is not always relevant for cultivation (red seaweeds does not grow slowly under production conditions) Seaweed biology: growing depths from sea surface Green seaweed 0 -10 Brown -20 seaweed -30 -40 meter -50 Red Depth of seawater -60 seaweed -70 -80 -90 -100 m Green Brown Red seaweed seaweed seaweed Our model plant: Ulva lactuca or Sea Lettuce Our model plant: Ulva lactuca or Sea Lettuce . Biofilter . Bioplastics >> marine biodegradable . Proteins >> sustainable aquatic feed >> human food . Antibiotics . Bioenergy >> ethanol or biodiesel . Green chemicals >> ulvans, lipids, fucose, fucoxanthin Our model plant: Ulva lactuca or Sea Lettuce . Most primitive green plant . Sporofyt and gametofyt both consist of two cell layers; can double its dry weight per day . Is thé seaweed for laboratory studies and the production of specialties Ulva lactuca or Sea Lettuce Saccharina latissima, good for 10 tonnes Dw/ha/yr Dutch conditions 2tonnes of protein, 4tonnes of carbohydrates, incl. emulsifiers and 250kg of PUFAs The first year at de Wierderij Seaweed cultivation 2013 Results . Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima (brown seaweeds) respond to the cumulative temperature sum (Eastern Scheldt water temperature) with regard to the moment at which young plantlets (min. 5cm) are fixed to production lines and to the harvest moment. Implying, that offshore seafarms are now opportunities, when equipped with temperature sensors: we need only exactly in time twice a year sen to send an equipe to the seafarm: the planting moment and the harvesting moment. Ulva lactuca, however, responds to the actual water temperature during summertime; it is therefore dependent on the costs and benefits whether it is worthwhile considering this one in an offshore scenario. Temperatuur Temperatuur 1000.0 1500.0 2000.0 2500.0 3000.0 3500.0 4000.0 4500.0 5000.0 500.0 0.0 1 11 21 31 41 51 61 71 81 sum 91 101 111 121 131 141 data 151 161 171 181 191 201 211 221 231 241 251 261 271 281 291 301 311 321 331 341 351 361 We live at sea . Two third of the world population lives not more than 400km from the sea. Somewhat more than halve of the population lives at a maximum of 200km from the sea Agroproduction 21st century . In 2050 – in order to feed, clothe, house and energise mankind – we need to have doubled agroproduction . Question: is that possible? ● Yes, it is, but then don’t bother about biodiversity, nature etc. ● Triple P? Yes, but then bring agriculture to the marine environment. This should be the start of developing sustainable seafarms, based on seaweeds and (shell)fish Mariculture . Utilisation of space of seas and oceans . Transition from collecting towards sustainable production . Seaweeds-based seafarms produce: • Proteins • Pufas • Carbohydrates • Micronutrients • Minerals (especially P) • Energy . Selection of production areas, “Hotspots”, and design of optimal production systems A futuristic view? 40 years for realisation! 1 . A futuristic view needs: ● A short term approach to meet the long term objectives ● A step by step programme to avoid long term irreversable disadvantageous consequences in societal, economical and environmental sense ● The development of the whole production and market chain ● Disruptive thinking . Starting point for new developments is that it must be TripleP sustainable, since we cannot afford any longer to threaten the worlds ecosystems and its biodiversity, and since we have to meet human requirements such as food security, green chemistry and climate measures A futuristic view? 40 years for realisation! 2 . Seaweed-based sea farming is then an opportunity: ● Food security >> proteins, micronutrients and lots of other valuable compounds ● Green chemistry >> replacement of fossile resources together with land based plant resources ● Energy if not otherwise ● Production of fresh water if needed ● No freshwater usage for plant production ● Recycling of lost plant nutrients ● Sequestering Green House Gasses Valorisation of seaweeds (1) . Whole chain approach >> business case opportunities start with cultivation (scale, method and locality) . In order to develop the seafarms, we have to embrace the Triple P sustainability concept to avoid long term environmental, economic or societal irreversible adverse effects . New chain arrangements and partner combinations needed, such as the combination of offshore and agriculture or end product producer co-responsible for the primary production of seaweeds. The chain Starting Breeding Location Cultivation Harvesting material Refinery Products Iterative procedures between steps, requiring cooperating chain partners! E.g. from seaweed to seaweed cheese (Ulva) and mannitol (Laminaria / Saccharina)! Starting Breeding Location Cultivation Harvesting material Refinery Products Ulva cultivation Laminaria / Saccharina cultivation Valorisation of seaweeds (2) Cultivation approaches and opportunities . Onshore and laboratory > . Specialties and exotic cultivation seaweed production . Nearshore cultivation > . Fresh market, wholesale biomass processed (dried or frozen etc.) or as green manure component . Offshore cultivation > . Biorefinery, major food or industrial components (proteins, carbohydrates, special sugars, pigments and anti-oxydants etc.) Valorisation of seaweeds (3) Challenges . Onshore and laboratory > . Climate control and cultivation cultivation conditions . Nearshore cultivation > . Cost yield effectiveness . Offshore cultivation > . Logistic, costs of infrastructure yield and planting mechanisms Valorisation of seaweeds (4) Challenges . Onshore and laboratory >. Climate control, existing cultivation opportunities make it possible . Nearshore cultivation > . Cost yield effectiveness, technically there is a tight schedule of seaweed cultivation possible, but only when economically effective Logistic, costs of infrastructure . Offshore cultivation > . yield and planting mechanisms, recent cultivation research has led to a reduction of costs of more than 50% Approach . Facilities: de Wierderij (schelphoek, Eastern Scheldt; AGROMARINE, Greenhouse, Nergena; 1250m3 bassin <>SPARK UP project Arkema, Northseaweed, FBR; Pilot at North Sea <> foundation Northseafarm and BioSolarCells). Design of a nearshore seafarm with production throughout the year. Design of an offshore seafarm that can be combined with other maritime functions such as wind parks at sea. Cultivation and maritime infrastructures Testlocation de Wierderij Schelphoek; Eastern Scheldt Testlocation design Operational from 1 May 2011 onwards Seafarms to guarantee constant quality of biomass . The first experimental farm was opened 26 april 2011 Location de Schelphoek, since: • Presence of natural currents • Tide • Sufficient depth • Outside shipping lanes, quiet, natural area Subject of study: • Growth and cultivation • Light and nutrients • Crop rotation with regard to pests, diseases and colonisators • Environmental-effects positive or negative? • Harvest and processing • Robustness of systems AgroMarine , our seaweed laboratory Production & Harvesting J F M A M J J A S O N D Ulva lactuca Saccharina latissima Laminaria digitata Undaria pinnatifida Seafarms for food, feed, green chemistry and recycling of natural resources Compounds by seaweeds of economic interest Components Application Proteins Food and feed Minerals Food, Personal Healthcare -iron -calcium -phosphor Seaweed -copper -zinc -magnesium -jodium Vitamines: A,C,,B6,B12,B3,B1,B9 B5 Food, Pharmacy and Personal Healthcare Carageenan (E 407) Food Processed Eucheuma seaweed (E407a) Alginates Food, Personal Healthcare (E400-405) - Algenic acid (E400) -Sodium alginate (E401 - Potassium alginaa e(E402) Protein values of different seaweed species - Ammonium alginate (E403) - Calcium alginate (E404) 36 Agar (E406) Food 31 Fucoxanthine Anti-oxidant 26 Polyfenols Anti-oxidant 21 % 16 Fucoidan Pharmacy 11 Mannitol Food 6 Iodine Food, Pharmacy 1 Carbohydrates Biofuel -4 Fatty acids food Alaria Fucus Padina Laminaria PalmariaPorphyra Gracilaria Ulva lactuca Sargassum Ulva pertusaUlva clathrataMonostroma Rhodymenia Ulva armoricanaEnteromoorpha Seaweed for human food . Direct consumption: fresh or dried . Or extract the different components? ● Hydrocolloids (agar, alginate en carrageenan) ● Carbohydrates, sugars ● Protein ● Antioxydants and vitamins ● Micronutrients . We focus on proteins Soup with Sealettuce– harvestikng festival ARCAM, Amsterdam Oesters met zeesla Paté with Sealettuce Lamb wit Sealettuce Restaurant de Schelphoek